Saturday, June 13, 2015

Carbon Monoxide News June 13, 2015 – posts updated frequently

Every day is a carbon monoxide safety education day.
Scroll back in time through our archives for previous CO News links.
We can learn from others mistakes and efforts to prevent poisoning.
Carbon monoxide safety, we are all in this together.


Earthquake in Nepal: Children Need Your Help Now
Nearly 1 million children require humanitarian assistance, and UNICEF is on the ground working to provide critical aid to children and families.

“Back of every mistaken venture and defeat is the laughter of wisdom, if you listen.” Carl Sandburg (1878-1967, bio link)

"Do You Want To Know A Secret?" Beatles - music link

Featured News Links – More news links below
ADVICE: Summer Carbon Monoxide Warning
Pirate FM
She was pregnant when she and her toddler started suffering things like nausea, dizziness and over- tiredness: "This happened to us in the summer and people don't tend to think about gas safety in the summer…”

5 ways to protect yourself from CO poisoning
LubbockOnline.com
However, while fire safety is front and center, many homeowners overlook the ways they can protect their families from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning… And that’s a mistake no homeowner can afford to make…

The Burden of Unintentional Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in New Mexico
New Mexico Department of Health
Almost every case of unintentional CO poisoning is preventable. Steps for prevention include: 1) have a specialist check and maintain furnaces in the home each season, 2) never run vehicles in a garage, 3)…

Warning: Wildfires pollute air quality in Duval County
First Coast News
A dry spell in Florida is creating dangerous conditions for the air quality,… These pollutants can even lead to heart problems and it has a lot to do with what is inside the smoke… "It can have metals in it, it can have droplets, all which can penetrate deep into your respiratory system,"…

Replay: Fire Hazards in the Wild (and not so wild)
Forest and wild land fire fighters and support staff often get poisoned as they work. These fire fighters work in deteriorated air quality without the aid of breathing apparatus that your local fire departments would not nor are they allowed to work in. The respiratory and cardiac health of these courageous people are jeopardized with the inhalation of the smoke and toxic gases produced by the various stages of combustion that are occurring. They often work in atmospheres of carbon monoxide above the evacuation levels used by fire departments for citizen evacuation of buildings and their COHb levels can only go up as oxygen displacement and poisoning begins. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety

See Public Health Issues Associated With Wildfires
by Lisa A. Klatka, DO, MS

They know about forest fires in Montana, unfortunately. "Traditionally, breathing smoke on the fire line has been considered all in a day's work for wild land firefighters. Smoke is one of the many occupational risks that comes with the job, along with falling snags, breaking a leg, or worse, getting burned over. Researchers are just beginning to learn more about the serious health problems that can result from inhaling wildfire smoke." (Robin Bible, Tennessee Division of Forestry, "Breathing" ) “Through the detailed chemical characterizations of smoke, we find literally hundreds of compounds, many of these in very, very low concentrations,” says Darold Ward of the Forest Service's Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, Montana.

When forest fuels burn, they discharge hundreds, if not thousands, of chemical compounds into the atmosphere, including carbon monoxide, total suspended particulates, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and water vapor. “Breathing high smoke concentrations does expose those persons to toxic compounds contained in the smoke,” says Shannon Therriault, air quality specialist with the Missoula City-County Health Department.

“One of the greatest hazards in smoke lies in the particulate matter, a general term for that mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in air. Particulate from smoke tends to be very small, and as a result, is more of a health concern than the coarser particles,” Therriault said. (Previously posted Carbon Monoxide News July 15, 2014 - posts updated... and Carbon Monoxide News - June 28, 2012
More news links below – 

We have all been CO poisoned, some more than others
The following link takes you to a site with views from those who have been poisoned. The seriousness of carbon monoxide poisoning, the grief, suffering and disorientations experienced are clearly portrayed with the intent to help others and prevent future poisonings. With respect, please visit: 

What is in the air you are breathing right now?
What will you be doing today; walking into poison?
Who will be responsible for the air you breathe?
You may be the only person who can prevent your own poisoning. 

We are all vulnerable to carbon monoxide exposure and poisoning.
Everyone has been poisoned by CO and will be poisoned again. The degree of the poisoning depends upon allowing yourself to be in a situation where someone else controls the air you breathe and the mechanisms for alarming notification.

Please read the alarm information on the package and in the instructions that come with the carbon monoxide alarm. Know that if it is a U.L. 2034 Listed product (or CSA 6.19 Listed), it is a high level alarm that has been tested to alarm no sooner than 70 PPM at the lowest (the alarm must resist for one hour when above this level) and when over 400 PPM before 15 minutes at the highest concentration, after resisting alarming for 4 minutes when over this level.

Know when your fire department and emergency responders begin wearing their breathing apparatus and what their civilian evacuation levels are for carbon monoxide; it may be as soon as the gas is present in your presence. Pregnant women, infants & children, people with heart & respiratory struggles, those suffering depression or chronic headaches and all people of vulnerable health should be alerted as soon as the gas begins to concentrate, around 10 PPM (parts per million) or lower.

You most likely need a low level carbon monoxide detector to sound off when carbon monoxide hazards are just beginning, not after you’ve been exposed to levels that make you have headaches, flu-like symptoms, increased tiredness, heart stresses or worse.

Do not take risks with carbon monoxide. Take responsibility for the air you breathe and the combustion systems you are responsible for. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for others, unless you think $45.00, high level protection is good enough.

Help prevent injuries and deaths; don’t guess about carbon monoxide. Measure carbon monoxide for safety and knowledge. The more you test the more you learn. 
GET BUSY
Measurement is continuing education at its best. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety

CO and Air Quality News Links
How not to blow up the backyard
Montreal Gazette
There is the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. But also, Dorion says, propane is a heavy gas that doesn't vent readily. Instead it builds up and stays ...

'Lucky to be alive'
Gander Beacon
Crant woke and, although not completely coherent, she recognized that they were all suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. “I was quite ill,”…

Project Zero aims to keep residents safe
Bullet News Niagara
Enbridge Gas Distribution, the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Fire and Emergency Services announced they are partnering to improve home safety and bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero…

More heat, poor air quality in Morris today
Daily Record
And if you need another reason to stay in the air-conditioning, consider the "Code Orange Air-Quality Alert" issued by The New Jersey Department of ... 

Johnson County Contractor Licensing Conference
CO EXperts
Johnson County Kansas - Continuing Education – – Video Link


A well put together video is found with the next link, but remember U.L. 2034 Listed CO Alarms are high level alarms. Use them for protection against accute levels, but be aware you can still experience symptoms of the poisoning even though the devices are in place.
About Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
DailyMotion
About Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Who is responsible for the air you breathe? 
Take control inside your homes. 
-Link to:  CO alarm standards  

The lowest U.L. 2034 & CSA 6.19 carbon monoxide alarm test point is: 
- 70 PPM to 149 PPM –resist one hour, must alarm before 4 hours 
Please read the alarm information on the package and in the instructions. Know when your fire department and emergency responders begin wearing their breathing apparatus and what their civilian evacuation levels are for carbon monoxide; it may be before 70 PPM. It is for pregnant women, infants & children, the elderly and all people of vulnerable health. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety 

Consider low level protection for carbon monoxide and smoldering fire detection problems; don't leave anyone behind.

These following links may be of some use to you: 

· Please take CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY CARE during all holiday and everyday activities.

National Conference of State Legislatures 
Carbon Monoxide Detectors State Statutes 

Twenty-Nine U.S. states have statutes that require carbon monoxide detectors in certain residential buildings. Updated Nov. 2014
Alaska | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida |
Georgia | Illinois | Maine | Maryland | MassachusettsMichigan |
Minnesota | Montana | New Jersey | New Hampshire | New York | 
  
Red Cross - Disaster Relief to safely assist law enforcement, fire department, utility company, city, county and state authorities as repair and rebuilding moves forward. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety

Nationally, the Red Cross provides food and shelter to people affected by as many as 70,000 fires annually, or about one fire every eight minutes.

The following companies are acknowledged for their continued support of carbon monoxide safety education and this daily news blog. They may just have what you are looking for. 
Fieldpiece Instruments 
The Energy Conservatory 
IntelliTec Colleges 

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